Putting On Your Airport Face

Published: August 21, 2006

The latest tactic to screen possible terrorists at airports is simply over the top! The woman depicted in the article conveys every expression that I and any sane traveler have under normal circumstances.

Fear, disgust, anger and sadness? You'd have to be brain-dead not to have these emotions when anticipating a miserable plane trip while waiting in long lines to go through security.

I, and I'm sure many people, have the unfortunate trait of looking guilty when we think we have to prove our innocence. This new kind of scrutiny is liable to make us so self-conscious that in an effort to maintain the precise sanguine facial repose we imagine necessary to pass security, we're likely to break out in twitches and tics and a bad case of hives.

Lots of luck, security screeners!

Gitta Morris
Guilford, Conn., Aug. 17, 2006

To the Editor:

Oh, good! Next time I'm at the airport, waiting in the long, long line at the security gate, in my stocking feet, anxious that my plane is about to board, worried whether my toiletries will arrive in the same city as I, longing for that novel I'd just started but had to check, I'll try to feign glee and conceal my fear, disgust, anger and determination (hiding my sadness at our current state may be more challenging).

But at least I'll get to practice my acting skills! There's always a positive!

Pete Cassel
Somerville, Mass., Aug. 17, 2006

To the Editor:

The picture that accompanies ''Faces, Too, Are Searched as U.S. Airports Try to Spot Terrorists'' says it all.

The caption should have read: ''Comrade, we've been watching you. You seem agitated. Please come with us.''